Left walks out of Lok Sabha over price rise issue

NEW DELHI - The Left Parties on Friday staged a walk out of the Lok Sabha over the issue of price rise.

Left MPs, who walked out of the Lok Sabha, demanded ‘White Paper’ on the price rise situation from the Central Government.

The Left parties, meanwhile, are expected to hold a protest rally today to put pressure on the Central Government over the increase in fuel price.

The Left has reiterated its stand for a cut motion during the Finance Bill debate andant a rollback of the Rs 3 fuel hike as announced in the Union Budget.

The CPM had earlier made their intentions clear of bringing a cut motion after the fuel hike was announced.

The party was however, silent on this issue as it worked closely with the government for the successful passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill.

Fuel inflation rose to 11.38 per cent because of a hike in petrol and diesel prices, while food inflation eased marginally to 17.81 per cent in the last week of February.

The rise in the fuel price index has raised concerns about inflation spreading to the rest of the economy.

Congress Government has made it clear that there would be no rollback on the recent increase in fuel price.

Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had said the tax on fuel would increase inflation by 0.4 percent. As of January, inflation stood at 8.6 per cent, the highest since October 2008.

Mukherjee had earlier told his party MPs that the modest hike had become inevitable in view of twin challenge of enduring high growth despite the recent downturn and controlling fiscal deficit without raising taxes. (ANI)